4, 5, 6 November 2020
Last Minute Instructions for Participants
Last Last Minute Instructions
This is your source of information. Watch this spot for updates even during the conference!
Zoom Link to xtUML Days
A link to the Zoom meeting will be here and live on conference day. Zoom Link to xtUML Days 2020 UK
If you are having trouble accessing Zoom, contact the event staff using the xtUML Community Google Hangout.
Agenda with Links to YouTube
In the Agenda of Presentations, each presentation is linked to a YouTube video (most links are live only on conference day). If for some reason the Zoom rendering of the presentation is faulty, you can watch the presentation on YouTube. However, pay attention and rejoin the live conference for Q&A! You can come back to these videos after the conference is over.
Participant Instructional Emails
Participants were sent emails ahead of the conference. Those emails are repeated here for convenience ordered from most to least recent.
Participant Instructions (3)
Our presenters this year are the best! As presentations are in progress, type questions in the Zoom chat. You may use 1-on-1 channels to chat with other participants.
The conference has several interactive elements. You will join Zoom breakout rooms throughout the day to hear people introducing themselves and answering the "question of the day". We also have debates scheduled in the afternoon with the expectation of arriving at consensus on three constructive topics. Join enthusiastically; these always end up being the best part of a Zoom conference.
For each of these breakout sessions, you will choose room 1, 2 or 3 from your Zoom control panel.
To make these interactive sessions as pleasant as possible, pay attention to the sound quality from your machine. First, be in a quiet place. A PC microphone is probably fine, but head sets, podcast mics or AirPods are better. Have light on your face, minimal light behind you and your camera at eye level.
You will be asked to introduce yourself, your organization and your connection to the Shlaer-Mellor xtUML Community. Think about this ahead of time and be colorful!
Plan for your favorite drink at virtual happy hour after the conference proper. Be prepared to share about what you are drinking.
Participant Instructions (2)
COVID-19 played one final trick and caused cancellation of the physical gathering in Portsmouth. England is in full lockdown beginning on conference day. (!!) The conference is now 100% remote/virtual. We were prepared for this and will press on!
Very importantly, the conference web site is your primary source of information. Even on conference day it will get updated to help deal with whatever might happen.
The agenda has been re-sequenced to make it easier for presenters in widely spread out time zones (+/- 8 hours!). View the agenda on the web site.
This conference will be a Zoom marathon. Prepare to have a comfortable, quiet, soft-surface room. Plan for your food and drink. Have good internet, preferably wired. Flaky WiFi makes for a miserable day. If your internet at home is lousy, find an alternate location.
Participant Instructions (1)
Hello from the UK and Zoom-land…
If you have never used Zoom, please install and practice on Zoom before the conference! (Install the application rather than rely on the web browser version.)
Most of the presenters are presenting from remote places.
All but a few of the presentations are pre-recorded, will be played and then followed with live Question and Answer. Plan to type your questions into the Zoom chat even while the presentation is playing. Presenters may actually answer some question in real time! If not, we will have assistants watching this feed to help choose the best questions and call on you at the end.
Be thinking about comfort, quiet, fast internet, microphone purchase, time zones, meals, questions for panel members, enthusiastic debate of xtUML topics, a special drink for happy hour, …
Last Minute Instructions for Presenters
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Please be present and attentive during your presentation.
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Monitor the Zoom chat stream and attempt to answer questions in real time.
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Upon completion of the presentation, you will go live to answer audience questions.
What is this?
xtUML Days 2020 UK is a modeling conference and represents the 7th edition of xtUML Days. (See Previous xtUML Days.) xtUML Days is the most dense gathering of the year of Shlaer-Mellor modelers. The xtUML Community meets to collaborate on Modeling, Method and Tooling.
The central topic of the conference is end-to-end modeling, execution, translation and deployment of models-as-code in mission critical settings employing rigorous methodology. The unifying theme is practical, actual, industrial application modeling within production installations. Attendees will network with engineers, scientists and educators who understand executable and translatable modeling as applied in active systems.
In 2020, a special focus will be continued to extend and clarify the Shlaer-Mellor Method in light of undocumented developments over the last several years.
Also in focus:
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Method advances (specifically convergence of PT and K-C dialects)
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Tooling Refinements
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Incremental Adoption
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Model Compilation
The xtUML Community is keen to exchange expertise and learn from one another. xtUML Days provides a forum for developers to share best practices and influence the direction of the technology. xtUML Days hereby solicits compelling papers and presentations that exhibit method advances, tooling improvements and application experience in Shlaer-Mellor modeling and related Executable/Translatable modeling. This year attendees represent One Fact, UK Crown, BAE Systems, ROGO, Northrop Grumman, Aurora Consulting, Software Improvements, L3, Thales, Toyo Corporation, ICS, FrogOOA, Kyushu University, University of Southampton and Jönköping University.
Keynote Speaker
We are pleased to announce that the xtUML Days 2020 Portsmouth keynote speaker is Stephen J. Mellor, co-author of the Shlaer–Mellor Method and Executable UML, and signatory to the Agile Manifesto. Mellor has been working with methods, particularly executable methods, for real-time and embedded systems for four decades.
He explains, with clarity and humor, the intricacies of real-time and embedded systems model-driven development, in both presentations and text. He is the author of several books:
Stephen presently serves as Chief Technology Officer of the industrial internet CONSORTIUM (IIC).
Other Presenters
In addition to Stephen Mellor other key Shlaer-Mellor community members plan to participate including Colin Carter, Ian Wilkie, Leon Starr, Marc Balcer and others.
Venue
xtUML Days 2020 will be hosted virtually on Zoom. This platform is familiar to most and supports interaction with people as well as access to presentations.
Registration
Register by emailing the chair (cortland.starrett at onefact.net). Provide name and company information. Do this even if you pay through the electronic portal below.
The registration cost is identical for both the physical and virtual event. Our virtual event platform (Zoom) will be making the virtual experience as close to a physical experience as is feasible. Interestingly, the virtual experience brings significant additional cost: camera crew, audio/visual equipment, streaming, etc.
Early registration (July/August) is $400 (USD). Early registration assures the highest likelihood of receiving the SWAG that is being prepared for all participants both physical and virtual. Virtual attendees who register early enough will receive a SWAG box shipped to their home or business address.
After August, registration is $500 (USD). Participants under contract with the Community Engagement support option attend at no cost.
Registration payment can be made with a credit card (through a PayPal portal below). Payment can be made by check. Other methods of payment can be arranged through the conference organizers. Discounts may be available to companies sending more than 3 participants; contact the chair.
Agenda of Presentations
Thursday 5 November (Conference Day)
The columns in the table below are as follows:
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The first column labeled T is the minute count for the session.
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The second column labeled Clock is the target time of day (GMT) for the session.
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Column three names to Presenter.
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The fourth column is a status flag.
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The fifth column contains an abbreviation for the Type of session as defined in Session Types.
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Column six gives a Title to the session if applicable.
| T | Clock | Presenter | L | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
5 |
09:00 |
Cortland Starrett |
L |
live |
Welcome and Opening |
5 |
09:05 |
Emily Carter |
L |
live |
xtUML Day via Zoom |
45 |
09:10 |
Colin Carter |
R |
tech |
|
35 |
09:55 |
Tristan |
R |
tech |
|
20 |
10:30 |
Emily Carter |
L |
network/break |
Mixing virtually - introductions |
25 |
10:50 |
Levi Starrett |
R |
tech |
|
10 |
11:15 |
Dave |
L |
iview |
Not Eating the Whole Elephant |
35 |
11:25 |
Team Japan |
R |
exprpt |
|
10 |
12:00 |
David Skinner |
L |
live |
Caledonia: iUML/ASL in BridgePoint |
30 |
12:10 |
Ian Wilkie |
R |
tech |
xtUML for Model-Driven Standardisation |
20 |
12:40 |
L |
lunch |
virtually connected lunch - introductions |
|
5 |
13:00 |
David Skinner |
R |
vtour |
|
5 |
13:05 |
Cortland Starrett |
L |
live |
Introducing the Father of the Method |
40 |
13:10 |
Stephen Mellor |
R |
keynote |
|
20 |
13:50 |
Marc Balcer |
L |
panel |
Trends: Stephen, Colin, Levi |
30 |
14:10 |
Leon Starr |
R |
tech |
|
20 |
14:40 |
Allan, Rob, Levi |
L |
debate |
3 groups, 3 questions, 3 answers |
L |
debate |
Allan: No modelling tools; no code generators; limited budget; how would you implement a Shlaer-Mellor approach? |
|||
L |
debate |
Rob: As Agilistas, we favour “Working Software” over “Comprehensive Documentation” – do Shlaer-Mellor/xtUML projects deliver? |
|||
L |
debate |
Levi: When is modeling not worth it? Bonus: Where does using the method “partially” fit in (as opposed to strictly following all the rules). |
|||
35 |
15:00 |
Allan Kennedy |
R |
tech |
|
20 |
15:35 |
Emily Carter |
L |
network/break |
coffee and chat rooms |
15 |
15:55 |
Marc Balcer |
R |
tech/demo |
|
20 |
16:10 |
Colin Snook |
R |
tech |
|
5 |
16:30 |
Lee Riemenschneider |
L |
iview |
OOA Book Report |
15 |
16:35 |
Michael Lee |
R |
intro |
|
5 |
16:50 |
Cortland Starrett |
L |
live |
closing remarks |
60 |
17:00 |
Happy Hour |
L |
hpyhour |
gin tasting |
Travel and Reception Dinner
Plan to arrive Wednesday evening before the conference to attend a reception dinner (included in the conference registration while space permits). Dinner will be hosted at The Still and West. This is a lovely pub with a view of the Harbour. (The photo of the lamp post was taken from inside The Still and West.)
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, this will be a subdued meeting with 6 or fewer per table.
Hotel
Portsmouth has many hotels and Airbnb options. The conference venue hotel is The Holiday Inn Portsmouth Pembroke Road, Portsmouth, UK.
Call for Papers (Closed)
A program committee will review and select from submitted papers, posters and presentations. Selection is based upon perceived value to the xtUML Community.
Topics of interest to xtUML Days include but are not limited to the following:
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real-world application modeling examples of installed systems
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techniques of editing, verifying, translating, debugging and deploying models
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methodology (Shlaer-Mellor) advances, extensions and refinements
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static analysis of models and generated code
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model-based model compilers
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model integrity
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action language dialects
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target software architectures and translation onto those architectures
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process integration of modeling and modeling tools
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tooling supporting the Shlaer-Mellor Method
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current state of the art editing, verification, translation, debugging
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recent experience with tooling and BridgePoint in particular
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techniques for educating modelers from young children to experienced professionals
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tooling migration experience reports
Presentations are expected to be 35-45 minutes in duration including time for questions and discussion.
All submissions will be evaluated by the program committee. Selection is based upon significance, clarity and alignment with the call and value to the attendees of xtUML Days 2020 UK. Submissions that promote discussion, advance the Method and generate interaction among xtUML Community members are most desired. For a presentation to be accepted, at least one of the authors must register for xtUML Days, present the material and participate in the conference.
Important Dates
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Title, session type and duration submission: 31 July 2020
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Abstract submission deadline: 15 August 2020
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Author notification: 30 August
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Submission deadline for video recording of presentation: 30 September 2020
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Completion of Production Editing (jointly by presenter and committee) of presentation-ready version: 22 October 2020
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xtUML Days conference day: 5 November 2020
Conference Format
Day 1 of xtUML Days is an information dense and interactive conference lasting one full day. The host will welcome attendees at the starting hour. The host will make significant introductions. Key xtUML Community members will give short updates on their applications and experiences. Presentations with Q&A and discussions will fill the morning and afternoon sessions. An open moderated discussion time will end the day.
A detailed agenda will be available in October upon solidification of the speaking agenda.
A day 2 of xtUML Days is a planning day for active members of the xtUML Community. Planning Day is focused on short and long term requirements of the Method and road map for tooling. Day 2 attendance is by invitation only.
Session Types
For virtual, mixed physical/virtual and even physical-only conferences, variety is a key to engagement. Various flavors of session are defined here.
All session types are eligible to be pre-recorded. For pre-recorded sessions, the presenter will be available live (locally or remotely) to respond to questions and comments.
| Session Type | Abbrev | # | time | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
keynote presentation |
keynote |
1 |
30-60 |
classic featured presentation from featured expert |
technical presentation |
tech |
3-6 |
20-45 |
These are traditional full length presentations from recognized experts in the field. Together with the experience reports, these represent the primary content of the conference. |
experience report |
exprpt |
0-4 |
10-30 |
Experience reports are medium length presentations focused on the application of modeling in industry or education. |
panel discusion |
panel |
0-2 |
10-30 |
The panel discussion typically involves a moderator and a panel of experts. Questions have been prepared and shared with panel members. Audience participation is included. |
debate |
debate |
0-1 |
10-30 |
A debate doubles as a networking activity. Participants are assigned to groups. Each group is given a position statement to debate. After the debate time, summary statements are presented by a moderator. |
networking activity |
network |
2-4 |
5-30 |
These activities are pre-arranged, potentially moderated, topical and focused on connecting participants. Techniques to bridge local and remote are to be prepared. |
interview |
iview |
2-4 |
1-5 |
interactive interview of person of interest focusing on the role that makes the person special to the xtUML community |
tool/app demonstration |
demo |
0-4 |
1-5 |
demonstration of a new feature or procedure in the tooling (ASL editor, Ciera, OOA of MASL, canvas features, Carpark) |
company expo |
expo |
0-4 |
1-5 |
To showcase participant companies and organizations, these will work best as pre-recorded production videos. |
introduction |
intro |
<20 |
1-2 |
personal introduction answering a few key questions (name, profession, organization, key connection with xtUML) in a pre-recorded format |
video tour |
vtour |
1-4 |
1-5 |
1-5 minute video tour of venue or point of interest to the xtUML community (conference venue, Portsmouth, HMS Victory, MatchBOX) |
happy hour |
hpyhour |
0-1 |
20-40 |
Happy hour is an organized tasting and sharing of a beverage together. It is fun to have a brewmeister or distiller present to explain and teach and connect those participating online. |
Newletter Updates Regarding xtUML Days 2020
Conference Organization
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Cortland Starrett, Conference Chair, One Fact, USA, cortland.starrett [at] onefact.net
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Dave Skinner, Host Committee Member, BAE Systems, UK
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Dave Salt, Program Committee Member, UK Government, UK
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Emily Carter, Conference Coordinator, Change Agent Studio LLC, USA
Conference Contact
If you have questions about xtUML Days 2020 UK, contact the Chair via email at: cortland.starrett [at] onefact.net or the Conference Coordinator via email at: emily.carter [at] onefact.net.
